Madman in Mugen S2000 Hits the Nurburgring Hard

Starting on cold tires, this Mugen S2000 driver clocks in a lap of the ‘Ring at 8-minutes and loose change.

It’s a small wonder that a sports car that started in production in 1999 is still entertaining drivers and viewers nearly 20 years later. But here we are and, according to the YouTuber that uploaded this video of his lap, this S2000 has the Mugen treatment to help it on its way.

Mugen S2000’s didn’t necessarily represent good value for money back in the day. The carbon-fiber airbox cost $1,500 alone. The stainless-steel header and exhaust system cost $2,800 separately and the ECU another $1,500. Back in 2001 Car and Driver figured out it was a cost of $393 per horsepower added to an engine that didn’t necessarily need another 15. However, they noticed the difference through every form of acceleration testing they could throw at it, showing performance isn’t just about the number of horses. The power bump was one thing, but C&D was also impressed by the bump-steer kit that reduced the amount of toe-in produced as the suspension compressed and what that did to chassis performance.

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Exactly what this S2000’s chassis has from the Mugen back-catalog, we don’t know. However, it’s very well behaved and Xav_ S2000 is very smooth on both his steering inputs and with his right foot. He keeps the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires on the edge, and at the 8 minutes and 29 seconds mark you’ll see how calmly he catches oversteer and uses it judo-style to set himself up for the next corner. It could easily have become an expensive laundry bill moment.

He’s also running on Touristenfahrten, which is a tourist driving day. He caught a sweet time though, and the only car he comes up on is passed easily, but it’s the FDP Motorsport BMW M3 E36 track-built car that goes past him. If anything gets Xav_ S2000 pushing harder to try and catch it. His ultimate time is 8-minutes and 8 seconds. A more than respectable time, although we know that it’s surprising how little car modification it takes to get an S2000 around just under the 8-minute mark.

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Ian Wright

Ian Wright has been a professional writer for two years and is a regular contributor to Corvette Forum, Jaguar Forum, and 6SpeedOnline, among other auto sites.

His obsession with cars started young and has left him stranded miles off-road in Land Rovers, being lost far from home in hot hatches, going sideways in rallycross cars, being propelled forward in supercars and, more sensibly, standing in fields staring at classic cars. His first job was as a mechanic and then trained as a driving instructor before going into media production.

The automotive itch never left though, and he realized writing about cars is his true calling. However, that doesn’t stop him from also hosting the Both Hand Drive podcast.

Ian can be reached at bothhanddrive@gmail.com